Spendor Classic 3/1 Loudspeaker Lab Report

Lab Report

Rated at an above-average 88dB sensitivity, in practice this elegant standmount achieved closer to 85dB (84.5dB/1kHz and 84.9dB averaged 500Hz-8kHz) in our tests. This is in keeping with a two-way of this stature, particularly one engineered to deliver a typically uniform forward response trend and without presenting a killer load to the partnering amplifier. The latter amounts to a very 'driveable' minimum of 5.7ohm/175Hz at just –6o, and sub-8ohm from 105Hz-800Hz, representing a 6ohm rather than a nominal 8ohm specification. The maximum swings in impedance phase are –55°/84Hz/16.6ohm and +65°/1kHz/12.2ohm – again, perfectly 'manageable'.

The response, meanwhile, measured on an axis midway between the treble and mid/bass units [Graph 1] shows two small dips of 2-3dB at 900Hz and 2.9kHz, contributing to the ±2.1dB and ±2.4dB response errors, although the trend is generally orderly if slightly downtilted. The impulse response is clean, with phase-inverted treble, while the CSD waterfall [Graph 2] shows mild, quickly suppressed cabinet modes and other resonances associated with each dip. The soft dome treble is free of the abrupt breakup we typically see with high stiffness domes, rolling off above 26kHz to achieve 38kHz (–6dB re. 10kHz).

Low frequency performance [green shaded area, Graph 1]is impressive for a single 180mm polymer driver working over a 58Hz-2.1kHz (–6dB) bandwidth into a limited enclosure volume. Distortion is just ~0.5% at 90dB SPL and the reflex port, tuned to 34Hz, supplements the bass extension down to a deeply impressive 45Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz). PM

921spend.lab1

Response inc. nearfield summed driver/port [green], freefield corrected to 1m at 2.83V [yellow], ultrasonic [pink]. Left, black; right, red; w grille, blue

921spend.lab2

Cabinet resonances are quickly suppressed as are the driver/mistermination modes at ~1kHz/3kHz

Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – 1kHz/Mean/IEC) 84.5dB / 84.9dB / 82.9dB
Impedance modulus: minimum & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 5.7ohm @ 175Hz 42ohm @ 72Hz
Impedance phase: minimum & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) –55° @ 84Hz +65° @ 1kHz
Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) 1.1dB/ ±2.1dB/±2.4dB
LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 45Hz / 37.7kHz/38.3kHz
THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.5% / 0.25% / 0.2%
Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 395x220x285mm / 10kg
Prices £2730

COMPANY INFO
Spendor Audio Systems Ltd
East Sussex
Supplied by: Spendor Audio Systems
01323 843474
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